Most Wanted Beauty Products: September

As August is coming to a close (it passed us by so quickly!) I thought I'd share some beauty products that I may be looking to invest in next month. Please let me know if you've tried any of them, how you got on with them, and if you'd recommend that I purchase them! If you enjoy these wish list style posts, let me know as I may do a fashion one as well.

Links to where you can purchase these products/where the pictures were taken from are in the captions of each photo!

POREfessional

1. Benefit The POREfessional Pro Balm ($30)
So many people have reviewed this product well and as it is one of Benefit Cosmetics' best sellers, I would love to give it a go. The price has held me back for a while now and I've considered purchasing a Benefit beauty kit that includes a sample in order to try it out. I know on their website they have several kits in a range of colors called How to Look the Best at Everything that are 'coming soon' and they all contain a sample of the pro balm. Currently they also sell a Snow White & the Huntsman inspired kit that includes a full-sized one but the kit is still $45. The only reason I've considered this kit is because it also comes with a full-size BAD gal lash mascara which I also love (see my Hidden Beauty Treasures post) and that normally retails for $19 alone. Let me know what you think I should do and if you've tried any of these products or kits!

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

2. Caudalie Beauty Elixir ($18)
The only negative thing I've heard about this product seems to be the smell as some find it overwhelming for a face mist. However, I have sampled it several times in stores (as you should most products when possible) and the fragrance doesn't bother me, I actually quite like it. The elixir is meant to be misted on prior to applying your daily moisturizer and then throughout the day to refresh your look and bring radiance to your skin. It can also be used as an after-shave for men, but I highly doubt that I'd be able to convince my husband to give it a try. The price is a bit steep for a mist, but apparently it does last through many applications and continues to be a recommended product by a lot of people.

Woodwinked

3. MAC Woodwinked Eye Shadow ($12-15)
Anyone subscribed to Tanya Burr's blog or YouTube channel will probably want this eye shadow by now. She uses it an awful lot and recently did a whole eye look with it in her Olympics makeup video. The way this shadow blends looks amazing and it seems like you wouldn't even need a different crease color because of the way it deepens as you work the product over your lid. If you've tried it, let me know your thoughts!

Starter Set (Purchase Here / Image Here)

4. Real Techniques Brush Set (~$18)
Most of the brushes that I currently have are from several different brands (Clinique, Sephora, or just Target) and I would like to invest in a nice set of professional brushes. I am far from a professional makeup artist, but the more eye shadows and eye creams I acquire, the more I long for nice brushes to apply them with. Real Techniques has several starter kits on their website that have three or four brushes in them for around $18, which is a great deal considering a lot of companys charge more than that for a single brush. Since I'm not looking to become a professional makeup artist anytime soon, I figure this is a reasonably priced way to get nicer brushes without being ridiculous.

In the Light

5. Stila In the Light Eye Shadow Palette ($39)
Several blogs have done reviews and swatched this palette and it just looks divine. I was considering investing in the Bobbi Brown Desert Twilight eye shadow palette when I was in Blue Mercury a few days ago, but its accompanying $60 price tag definitely scared me off. This Stila palette seems comparable and has more bang for the buck. I'll admit I have far too many eye shadows, but I do love a new palette so this is definitely on my most wanted list.

Spicebomb

6. Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb Cologne ($75)
Yes, I am aware this is a men's cologne and no, I don't care. If you've smelled this fragrance you'll know that it has quite the androgenous appeal to it and is much better than the women's version Flowerbomb. This wouldn't be the first time I picked up a men's fragrance and I'm sure it won't be the last. I've never really been afraid to venture outside of my department and if you haven't tried it, you should! It's quite liberating actually, haha!

Sexy Pulp Mascara

7. Yves Rocher Sexy Pulp Mascara ($18)
So I have come to that magical time when all of my mascaras (I've been switching between three these past few months) are running very low or dry. I came across this recommendation from Zoe on one of my favorite blogs, Zoella. The large, oddly shaped brush on this mascara seems to be right up my alley and so I've wanted to buy it ever since she posted about it. I'd never heard of the Yves Rocher company before and it was a happy surprise to look through their website and explore all of the different products. I love discovering new brands!

There you have it! Hopefully I'll get to try some of these products in September and if I do, there are sure to be some reviews to follow. Again, let me know what you've tried or what you think I should try and I hope you all have a lovely day!

:: katie golightly x

images credited in captions. everything else is my own including opinions and rambles alike. this is not sponsored.

Hidden Beauty Treasures

A couple of days ago, when I started this blog, I got the urge to look back through some of my older makeup and see what I'd written off or just plain forgotten in the past year or so. I am so happy that I did this as it led to me rediscovering some old favorites of mine that had simply been shoved to the back of a drawer in recent months. In all I found four products that have truly been born-again in my makeup collection. There is a mascara, a lip gloss, a lip stick, and an eye shadow with all but the mascara swatched at the end of the post. Enjoy!

These first two products are by Benefit Cosmetics and were from the Her Name Was Glowla makeup kit that I absolutely love. The kit came with the BAD gal lash mascara, Life on the A-list lip gloss, CORALista blush, high and moon beam highlighters, a five color eyeshadow palette, and a few brushes. It retails for $36 (USD) and is well worth the price.

The first product that I was happy to rediscover was the BAD gal lash mascara. It is a wonderful formula that applies like a dream mostly because the brush is amazing. It hugs all of my lashes and gives them wonderful volume and fullness without clumping horribly (I actually have a trick to applying mascara, but I'll save that for a future blog post so watch for it soon!). This has become my new daily mascara since I found it and I will be repurchasing when this one runs out.

The second product was the ultra shine lip gloss in the color, Life on the A-list. This bubblegum pink color suits me quite well and has quickly replaced other lip glosses that I had been using recently. The formula isn't too sticky unless you lather it on and it has a perfectly subtle shimmer to it that catches the light without looking cheap. There is also a slight sweet scent to it which earns it more points in my book.

Sorry for the boring photo, but this was the best I could do with how long the packaging is. Anyway, my next rediscovery is this long wear lip color by Stila in the color 'In the Nude' which retails for $20 (USD). I use this lip color when I want to completely nude-out my lips or layer it with another color for a nice effect. Naturally, I have very pink lips so if I want to start with a nude base this is perfect for me. The formula is nice and creamy and lasts for ages, especially under a gloss. The Stila lipsticks also have a very thin design which makes application more precise. I got a lot of use out of this last autumn/winter so I will be happy to break it out again in a month or so!

The last product I was happy to come across was this MAC eye shadow in the color Cranberry which retails for $12 or $15 (depending on whether you buy the full packaging or just the refill pan). I cannot say enough about this color. It is a beautifully warm pinky-toned red that has a coppery finish with fine shimmer. As most MAC shadows do, it applies nicely, blends well, and is very pigmented. I think this can be worn with any eye color but I do love it with my green eyes. You can see a swatch of it below (bottom) along with the Benefit lip gloss (top) and Stila lipstick (middle). 

Life on the A-list (top), In the Nude (middle), Cranberry (bottom)

So there you have it! I encourage you all to go through that horrible makeup drawer that you haven't cleaned in a while and find some old favorites that can work their way back into your daily routine. Let me know what you uncover and have a lovely evening!

:: katie golightly x

everything is my own including opinions, photographs, and rambles alike. this is not sponsored.